Juan Soto singlehandedly reignited the New York rivarly between the Yankees and Mets. After spending one year with the Yankees, Soto signed a record-breaking, $765 million contract with the Mets, and the fanbase in the Bronx felt slighted in a huge way. They let Soto know about it by pettily turning their backs to Soto when he took the field or booed him when he was at the plate when the Subway Series took pace at Yankee Stadium earlier this season.
The Subway Series headed to Queens on the Fourth of July. When Soto stepped up to the plate, Mets fans showed love to Soto as a response to the reactions from Yankees fans. Soto rewarded them by hitting a game-tying, two-run homer to center field.
Juan Soto 😏 pic.twitter.com/Slr7I3gEGR
— New York Mets (@Mets) July 4, 2025
Juan Soto relishes Mets fans' standing ovation, crushes home run against Yankees
What a moment for Soto, as he relished the ovation from the Mets faithful in Queens. One has to imagine Yankees fans let out a swear word or two when they saw Soto's homer.
Yankees fans feel slighted about Soto leaving for the Mets because top players rarely ever leave the Bronx in free agency. The Yankees tried their best to keep him, offering $760 million over 16 years. However, the Mets won out by offering $765 million over 15 years. Even though Soto never had a say in joining the Yankees in 2024 after a trade by the San Diego Padres, the Yankees faithful treated Soto like a traitor.
In the first three games of the Subway Series in the Bronx, Soto went 1-for-6 with four walks, two runs scored, and one strikeout.
Later on in the July 4 game, Soto hit a double and scored the go-ahead run after a single hit by Pete Alonso.
Both the Yankees and Mets have been skidding in recent weeks, so both of them are looking to build momentum. So far, Soto did a lot early to make sure the Mets pick up the early series win.